132 



Pengulni. 



ANTARCTIC CRUISE. Macquarfe tiiwd 



more tlinn eighteen feet, before two albatrosses 

 came drwn, and cnmmeneed picking at the (lend 

 birds I bad just killed, but not being able to make 

 any imp] es-^iun upon them, deliberately picked up 

 two of the eggs with their beaks, and in spite of 

 my efforts to prevent it, flew away with ihcm. 

 The eggs were about the size of a goose's ; the 

 original colour seemed to have been white, but 

 [bey were so dirty that it was difficult to say with 

 certainty. They wore no doubt the eggs of the 

 penguin, a6 1 took thorn out of their nest, which 

 was only a small place scratched in the earth, just 

 big enough to hold one or two eggs, with little or 

 no grass, sticks, or any thing else to form a nest 

 of. I afterwards picked up a number of these 

 eggB, and another was found of the sizw of a lien's 

 egg, white, with a slight tinge of green. On 

 mounting the hill still higher, which was very 

 Bleep, and composed of Volcanic rock, loose stomas, 

 and a little noil mixed with birdlime, I found that 

 there were more of these birds than I anticipated. 

 The nests were within two feet of each other, wjih 

 one or two young ones in each ; one of the old ones 

 watching and sitting on (lie nest, whilst the young 

 were trying ineffectually to nestle themselves under 

 the small wings of the old ones. The appearance 

 of the young was not unlike that of goslings, being 

 covered with a dark thick down. 



" These penguins are the eudyptes ehrysocome ; 

 they are from sixteen to tweuly inches in height, 

 with white breast and nearly black bttdt, the rest 

 being of a dark dove-colour, with the exception of 

 the head, which in adorned on each side with four 

 or five yellow feathers, three or four inches long, 

 looking like graceful plumes. The birds stand 

 creel in rows, which gives them the appearance of 

 Liliputiau soldiers. The sight was novel and beau- 

 tiful, and had it not been for the gabble, — enough 

 to deafen me,— I could have stayed much longer. 

 It was now time to return to the boat, when it 

 occurred to me that live birds would be preferable 

 to the dead ; so throwing the latter down, 1 seized 

 one old and a couple of young ones, and with three 

 or four eggs in my cap, made the best of my way 

 to the boat. It was now found impossible to hand 

 them on board, and not willing to surrender my 

 prize, a lead-lino was thrown nie from the boat, 

 but did not come near enough, and in my attempts 

 to get it, I was overtaken by a sea, and was thrown 

 violently against the rocks among ihe kelp, and 

 just made out to crawl on hands and laiees beyond 

 the reach of the returning sea, somewhat bruised, 

 wet, and benumbed with the cold." 



At this j tincture the quarter-master returned 

 with a large species of penguin over his shoulders, 

 but without the crown of feathers on his head. He 

 described a similar rookery, and also Baw some 

 green paroquets with a small red spot on the head, 

 and an oblong slaty or purple spot at the root 

 of the bill, and with' straight beaks. Mr. Eld was 

 too much exhausted to return with him to get 

 specimens, nil d the hour being late, it was neces- 

 sary to return to the boat, which had been waiting 

 for some time for them. The quarter-master suc- 

 ceeded in getting his penguins lo the boat, but 

 Mr. Eld's began floundering about, and although 

 their legs were tied, managed to get into the water, 

 where they were at home, and were soon oot of 

 reach. The tying of the legs did not seem any 

 impediment lo their exertiuiis in the water, and 



I 



thus several interesting specimens of natural his- 

 tory were b«l, the trouble that it cost making 

 them doubly valuable. With great difficulty Mr. 

 Eld reached the boat ; for, having again missed 

 his f«H>thold, he fell among the kelp, but by ihe 

 limely nid of those on board he was rescued. After 

 an hour's tug at their oars, they reached the ship 

 in safely. 



The south end of Macquarie Island lies in lati- 

 tude 64° 44' S., and longitude Up" 4ff E. The 

 inland is high and much broken ; it is apparently 

 covered with verdure, although a long lufted rank 

 grass was the only plant seen by those who landed. 



The highest peak on the island is from twelve to 

 iifte< n hundred It et high, and && far as our observa- 

 tions extended, it had neither tree nor shrub on it. 

 At 6 r.u. the ship filled awny, and at eight was 

 abreast of the Bishop and Clerk. Macquarie 

 Island affords no inducement for a visit, and as far 

 as our examination went, has no suitable place for 

 landing with a boat. The only thing I had to regret 

 was not being able to make it a magnetic station. 



On the 1 1 lli and I2ih nothing particular occurred 

 on board the Peacock. All sail was set, and run- 

 ning to the southward on the J3th, hi latitude (11° 

 30' S., longitude IC|° 5' E., the first iec-islandB 

 were seen. The dip was observed with Lloyd's 

 and Dolland's needles, which made it W? 63". 



There was no occasion on the night «>f ihe 13th 

 to light the binnacle-lamps, as newspaper print 

 could be read with ease at midnight. On the 1 4th, 

 while still making much progress to the south, and 

 parsing uceasioually icebergs and brash ice, the 

 water appeared somewhat discoloured. Robinson's, 

 Lloyd's, and Dolland's needles, gave, the same day, 

 in the cabin, HW 37' for the dip, and in the ward- 

 room, Hif 46'. Albatrosses, Cape pigeons, and 

 other birds about. 



On the 15th, they passed many ice-islands. The 

 weather was thick, and snow fell at intervals ; the 

 wind continued from the westward. Many w hales 

 were seen ; albatrosses, petrels, and Cape pigeons 

 were frequent aliout the ship. At 4 P.M. the mist 

 raised a little, and to their surprise they saw a 

 perfect barrier of ice, extending to the south-west, 

 with several large icebergs enclosed within it. 

 Shortly after they discovered a sail, which proved 

 lo be the Porpoise. 



The Vincetmes and Porpoise were left in our 

 narrative near the icy barrier, separated by the 

 fogs and mists that prevailed at limes. The Por- 

 poise, on the 13th, in latitude G5" fl' S. t longitude 

 J fill 0 Em discovered several sea-elephants on the 

 ice, and sent a l>oat to capture them, but without 

 success. The current was tried, and found to set 

 west one-fifth of o mile per hour. Some time 

 afterwards, seeing some sea-elephants near ihe 

 edge of the ice, a boat wos sent, and succeeded in 

 capturing a female. From the numerous sea-ele- 

 phants, and the discoloration of the water and ice, 

 they were strongly impressed with the idea of land 

 being in the vicinity, but on sounding with one 

 hundred fathoms, no bottom was found; Lieutenam- 

 Commanditnt Ringgold felt convinced, from ihe 

 above circumstances, and the report thai penguins 

 were heard, that land was near, and thought be 

 could discern to the south-east something like dif- 

 tant mountains. A nearer approach was impossible, 

 as they were then in actual contact with the icy 

 barrier. 



